History
The Wehrmacht was created in 1935 as the unified armed forces for Nazi Germany. It replaced the older German military and grew very quickly under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. The force was meant to help Germany gain more land and power in Europe. By the time World War II began in 1939, it was a very large and well-equipped machine that used new tactics like blitzkrieg to move fast. It included the army, the air force, and the navy all working together under one command structure. During the early parts of the war, the Wehrmacht conquered many neighboring countries in quick strikes. They moved through Poland, France, and other nations with great speed. These successes helped Germany control much of the continent for several years during the conflict. As the war continued, the Wehrmacht faced much tougher fighting, especially on the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union. The war became long and very expensive for Germany. Supplies started running low, and the military suffered massive losses in manpower and equipment. By 1944, the tide of the war had turned against them as Allied forces pushed back from both the East and the West. In May 1945, Germany surrendered after the Allies captured Berlin. Following this defeat, the Wehrmacht was officially dissolved by the Allied powers to prevent it from ever rising again. It remains a major example of a military force used to carry out aggressive policies during the mid-20th century.
